The first flour mill in San Jose was erected by R. G. Moody in 1854 (see below) on
the banks of Coyote Creek about the spot where Empire Street
ends. Here the propelling power was water, procured from an
artesian well. The business was transferred to Third Street, near
the corner of Santa Clara Street, in 1858, where steam instead of water
was used to drive the machinery. The improvements consisted
of a mill and warehouse, the latter with a capacity for the storage of
40,000 sacks of flour. The mill fronted on Third Street, the
warehouse on Fourth Street. Mr. Moody put in porcelain rollers
soon after their introduction to this Coast and manufactured the once
celebrated "Lily White Flour." He retired from business in the
early '60s and was succeeded by his sons, Charles, Volney and David B.
Moody. After a few years Volney Moody sold out his interest,
removed to Oakland and became a banker.

In 1887 the Moody brothers sold out to the Central Milling Company,
which soon took in all the mills in Central California. C. L.
Dingley was president, and D. B. Moody secretary. For a
number of years the company used for manufacturing purposes the mill in
San Jose, but the time came when the Santa Clara Valley ceased to be
the grain center of the state. Grain fields everywhere had been
converted into fruit orchards, and fruit culture became the great
industry of the valley. In 1892 the Sperry Flour Company
absorbed the Central Milling Company and W. G. Alexander was appointed
manager. Through his activity and sound business sense the
company extended its operations until it had practically covered the
entire state. Now its tentacles have reached out to include
Oregon, Washington, Nevada and Utah. Mr. Alexander continued in
office for twenty-three years- until he went into business for
himself. He was succeeded by his brother, Howard Alexander, who
died in 1912. E. B. Devine is the present manger . The main
office of the company is in San Francisco. David B. Moody retired
from the secretaryship many years ago. He is now one of the
directors of the San Joe Keystone Company, of which W. G. Alexander is
president.

Pen Pictures From The
Garden of the World or Santa Clara County, California,
Illustrated. - Edited by H. S.
Foote.- Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1888. p. 308

transcribed by Cdf

MOODY's MILLS

This is the oldest mill now in operation in the
city, and was first erected by R. G. Moody in 1854, on the bank of the
Coyote creek, about the spot where Empire street strikes that
stream. Here the propelling power was water procured from an
artesian well;' in the year 1858, however, the business was
transferred to its present location on Third, near the corner of Santa
Clara street, where steam was substituted for water to drive the
machinery. The premises consist of the mill and warehouse with a
capacity for the storage of forty thousand sacks of flour, and has its
frontage on Third, but running through to Fourth street. The mill
is supplied with an engine of forty horse-power, two run of stones, and
has a working capacity of one hundred and twenty barrels of flour, and
ten tons of feed in the twenty-four hours, while an annual business is
transacted of about twelve thousand dollars. The owners are Moody
& Brother, sons of the original possessor.